5 Powerful Ways to Be Different From Your Competitors

It's the first thing that an entrepreneur will think about when they start a business is how we are going to be different from our competitor? Being different is one of the quickest and most effective ways to get business found by customers. In today's world we are constantly being bombarded by so much marketing noise that we need to find a way to cut through the noise and make our business and products have a place in our targeted customers' mind. However, that sometimes is easier said then done. One of the best ways to start is to look at what your strengths are and then what your competitors' weaknesses are. If you can do something noticeably better then your biggest competitor then that is the direction you need to go in.

Here are five powerful things that you can leverage to make your business, product or service stand out from your competitors.

First and probably the most obvious is the power of being first. Kill your competition with speed! If you have an idea or product that can impact and benefit your consumer then make sure not to waste any time putting it out there. This might mean doing so before you can perfect the product. A good example of this would be Apple and the iPhone. When the product was first released it had some errors, but Apple is perfecting the product more and more to keep it the most superior smartphone on the market. The fact of the matter is even though the iPhone was not perfect it was a superior product in a new market that was about to explode. The trend here is that people tend to keep what they first purchased instead of taking the chance on switching to something else. You have also just communicated to your customer that you are an innovator, knowledgeable and an expert. A word of caution when using this different factor is make sure the idea or product is right and can be successful, otherwise you will go now and suffer a setback.

Second, be a power attribute leader like how the Flip video camcorder has an USB arm built in so videos can be uploaded easier and faster. No other camcorder has that attribute and if a competitor would try to add that attribute they would be seen as an emulator. In doing so it would not benefit the emulator much because there is already an established leader for this attribute. It is better to find an opposite attribute that will allow you to go against the leader. For best results make it simple and benefit oriented toward the customer.

Third, be a power-preferred provider. People love to fit in and to have something that they think is popular, that's why some of us prefer brand names because it makes us feel like we made the correct purchase. An example of this is how FeBreeze is the official odor eliminator of the NFL or how Bridgestone is the official tire of the NFL. Also, showing how you just won stacked up against competitors in a taste test is being the preferred provider as well.

Fourth, is the power of being an expert in your market. It's like the old saying in marketing you can not be everything to everyone and that applies here. Look at the leader overall in beverages, they're not the number one energy drink provider with full throttle. This title belonged to Red Bull, who was one of the first to market the energy drink idea. Make sure to concentrate on a specific area and be seen as an expert. Give the customer more knowledge and experience then they're used to!

Fifth, use the power of your history. If you have been in business for twenty years let your potential customers know that. Your years in business can give the customer the idea that they are working with an established leader. Insurance companies use this technique a lot, which helps the customer feel more comfortable when choosing to buy or work with you.